


A Walk with a Rose

by SumDumMuffin



Series: Absolute Hoodwitch Armageddon [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:56:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21517837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SumDumMuffin/pseuds/SumDumMuffin
Summary: Glynda gets pushed into an impromptu date with a flower girl she's been crushing on.
Relationships: Glynda Goodwitch/Ruby Rose
Series: Absolute Hoodwitch Armageddon [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616476
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	A Walk with a Rose

**Author's Note:**

> I guarantee no expertise on or even basic correct knowledge of rural towns, flower shops, romance, dating, or English grammar.
> 
> Usually its actually a struggle to pare down an AU into something that wouldn't necessarily demand more than one chapter, but here the 'following your crush on her delivery rounds' felt, a little thin. 
> 
> Vaguely inspired by that recurring theme of idealizing small rural towns that pop up in various animes, video games, and harlequin romance novels.

"Ugh, it's just, so hard to meet people at my age," Glynda rubbed her face on the cafe table, off to the side of her salad.

"Well of course it would be, with that attitude," Cinder said. She was one of Glynda's oldest friends, but she was also in a committed relationship, so like. Some comfort she provided.

"You could also go online," Emerald said. She opened up her sandwich to pile on some condiments. "That way distance or happening to share a similar space at the same time isn't an issue." 

"You two didn't meet online," Glynda mumbled. 

Emerald smirked. "Yeah, we met like real peo-"

Cinder bopped her girlfriend's arm. "Like old fashioned people," Cinder said, "And it really wasn't all that serendipitous. I would ask out cute girls at concerts I went to and some of them would say yes, and eventually one of them I liked enough to keep asking out." 

"And then she agreed to move with you to the countryside," Glynda said. 

"The countryside still needs waitresses," Emerald said, "And we still have internet connectivity, so I can still get my degree." 

"But there aren't any concerts or, art galleries or, ah, lesbian BDSM clubs here," Glynda said. 

"Hey, if our parent company encourages enough tourism," Cinder gestured with her fork, "Maybe all of those things will pop up here, in this rustic rural town." 

"Or, if you don't want to wait," Emerald said, "Why don't you ask out that flower girl you have a crush on?" 

Glynda sat up. Her cheeks felt hot. "I- what? Noo- I don't, have a crush on her-" 

"Oh yeah!" Cinder said, "I don't know why you're pretending you don't think she's cute. You ogle her every time she makes her rounds." 

"Is that what she's doing?" Emerald asked. 

"Yeah," Cinder said, "Like, delivery rounds for the flower shop she works at? It's a regular thing, right?"

"Mondays, Wednesdays, and ah," Glynda glanced at the wall, "Saturdays." 

"That's today!" Cinder said. She gestured with her fork. 

"And doesn't she she look like she might be into women?" Cinder said. "Short haircut, short nails, kinda bookish." 

"I can actually just look to see if she's joined any gay hookup apps," Emerald said. 

"She's not on any of them," Glynda said.

"Well, I can still cyber-stalk her. See if she was in her high school GSA, or if there's any Facebook photos of her smooching a girl," Emerald said. She pulled out her smartphone, "What was her name, again?"

"Ruby," Glynda said. She tilted her head to the side because her nose had become uncomfortable, pressed on the table like that. 

"As someone who is also dating a younger girl named after a gemstone," Cinder said, "I fully encourage you to at least try talking to her." 

Emerald snorted around the food she was currently chewing. 

"Ah, sure," Glynda said, "I'll get around to it." 

"But there's no time like the present," Cinder said. She stood up and stretched and then walked around the cafe table to Glynda's side. 

Glynda verbally protested, but she still allowed Cinder to pull her upright and then right up off the cafe chair. "Wait what- what about lunch?" 

"I'll pack up our food," Emerald said. 

"But what about-" Glynda began. Cinder started pushing her by the shoulders. "My, um. Crippling social anxiety?" 

"We'll think of something for that, too," Cinder said. 

  
So the three of them hid behind a wall, next to some bushes, up the path that Ruby was currently leisurely strolling along. 

As Ruby walked past, lightly swinging her basket. She'd walk along this road for for another block before turning left towards the Schnee mansion. Not that, Glynda had obsessively memorized her schedule or anything. 

  
"Alright," Glynda whispered, "What am I going to say?" 

"You'll figure it out," Cinder said. 

"Wha- no- you said you'd think of something-"

Cinder shoved Glynda out into the street, right in front of the flower girl. Ruby stopped and blinked twice, but otherwise didn't seem fazed. 

Glynda glanced back briefly at the area of bushes where Cinder and Emerald were likely hiding. 

"Oh, hey. Glynda, was it?" Ruby said. She smiled as she held her basket in both hands in front of her. 

"oh! um. Yes," Glynda said. she held out her hand. "And you're, Ruby?"

"Yes, we've met a few times before." 

"Well, either way, ah," Glynda held out her hand, "I'd feel like i'd want to start off with an introduction." 

Ruby smirked. "Even though we both just established that we know each other's names?" 

"Ah, that, is true. " 

Ruby shook Glynda's hand. "Do you want to walk with me? My mom's busy on Saturdays, so I'd appreciate the company...."

Cinder gave Glynda a thumbs up from her and Emerald's hiding space. Emerald continued to have a flat expression as she took another bite of her sandwich. 

"I would like that," Glynda said. She smiled, and her glasses started feeling weird on her face so she adjusted them. 

And Glynda walked in stride with Ruby, down the road. 

"Dibs on her food," Emerald said, from the bushes. 

"You do these deliveries often," Glynda said, "Do people need flowers that often?" 

"Well, some do," Ruby said. "But the shop does other assorted herbalism too. Dyes, medicine, spices for food, and occasionally interior decorating advice." 

"Oh? How eclectic." 

Ruby smiled at that. She idly brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and Glynda's breath caught."

"Plus, they're also social visits," Ruby said. "I like getting to see all the people I've known around town." 

"Ah," Glynda said. "Then maybe I should sign up?" 

She had sort of meant that as a flirt, but Ruby immediately went into business mode. 

"Oh, do you want to?" Ruby rummaged inside her basket for an information pamphlet. 

"So we have flowers, of course, if that's an expense you want to invest in for, like, beautification or mourning," Ruby said. "But if you cook, we can provide fresh ingredients- mostly spices, since were' not a full farm." 

"Ah," Glynda began. She didn't know how to say that she hadn't cooked anything on purpose since the last time she had a girlfriend, and she figured she probably shouldn't pretend otherwise in order to try to impress some girl. "Well, maybe." 

"If you do any crafts, we offer dyes and plant fiber and stuff?" 

"Not, so much, no...." Glynda rubbed the back of her head. 

"And I deliver baked goods to my grandma in the woods, occasionally," Ruby said, "I gueeess, I can do something similar for you?" 

"Ah-" Glynda grinned at the ground, "That sounds nice, but I wouldn't, want you to go out of your way...." 

"It wouldn't be too much trouble," Ruby said. She smiled a big smile that revealed all her teeth and wrinkled her eyes closed. 

"Oh! Ah, then, i guess, sign, me up." 

The first delivery was to their towns resident rich snob. It probably made sense that the Schnees would be regular customers of luxury flowers and assorted herbs. 

"Oh, hello Ruby," Weiss said, "I suppose I should pour an extra cup of tea, for your companion, then."

"Oh, that's- not entirely necessary-" Glynda glanced over at an immaculately prepared tea setup. 

"Nonsense. Schnees are hospitable," Weiss said. She closed her eyes and put her hand to her chest. 

Ruby pulled out the delivery; some mourning lilies for a shrine, and some additional medicinal herbs- 

"Why not just leave the packets here," Weiss said, grabbing at her delivery, "And then we can just have our weekly tea." 

  
The tea was decent, and she got to hear about how Ruby's extended family was doing, and some gossip about what the town real estate holders were doing. 

"It's good you've found a companion," Weiss said, at one point, while swirling her tea cup imperiously in a way Glynda was trying to learn to imitate, "Honestly you've been alone for a long time." 

"Oh! This is, just for today," Ruby sunk into her shoulders and snuck one glance at Glynda. 

Glynda attempted to echo Ruby's sentiment but turned out to not be able to say anything coherent.

"That's how it starts," Weiss said, and she winked at Ruby. 

The second stop was for the town's resident guerrilla artist, which was the polite way to say 'wacko that's entertaining enough to convince other people not to say anything.' 

"Hey Nora!" Ruby said. 

"Hey-o, Ruby-doobie," said the redhead. She waved her arms like a muppet. "And the resident corporate shill!" 

"Excuse me," Glynda said, "There's _two_ corporate shills in town. Doesn't Cinder mean anything?" 

"I suppose that's true- BUT! Freeze right there-"

Ruby obliged, and Glynda followed suite only a second later.

Nora pulled out an easel and some paints from somewhere. She stuck her tongue out of the left corner of her mouth as she closed her right eye and stuck her thumb out, and then painted a quick minimalist portrait of the two of them.

"Done!" Nora said. She flipped the painting around. "I was first inspired because our town's new resident was exactly as much taller than you from this perspective as the church tower is from the town hall dome-" 

Glynda turned around to look at a skyline she had mostly glossed over until then. 

"But then it was because you two look really cute together!" 

"Oh!" Ruby smushed her lips together. "Thanks? But we're, not-" 

"I'm just, walking with her," Glynda said. She rubbed the back of her head. 

Nora's ridiculous smile widened and she winked. "Gotcha~" 

"I have your purples, by the way," Ruby said, as she rummaged through her basket for a packet of dyes. 

  
And Ruby dropped off her deliveries to her last house, which meant their walk together was over. They paused by another wall right on the edge of the street, with some nearby decorative foliage. 

Glynda rubbed the back of her head and looked off into the distance. "Ah. This was fun." 

Ruby clutched her basket in both hands in front of her and she smiled. "I had a good time." 

"Y-yeah." Glynda smiled and adjusted her glasses. "I as well." 

Ruby rocked on her feet twice, smiling at her walking partner. 

"Well, I guess I'll see you around, Glynda," Ruby curtseyed. 

"Ah. Yes, that is entirely possible," Glynda nodded.

Ruby chuckled at that. Glynda didn't think it was an especially funny joke, but, maybe she was actually secretly a great comedian. 

Ruby turned away, and Glynda made to as well-

And then Glynda was shoved back towards Ruby-

Glynda flinched and jabbed her right arm out against the wall, to keep her from falling right onto the shorter girl- 

Ruby flinched as well, jumping against the wall, such that Glynda was essentially pinning her.

"Ah- sorry!" Glynda sputtered out, as she stepped back. 

Ruby didn't say anything as she looked up into Glynda's eyes and blushed and inhaled sharply. Her lips quivered. "It's- it's okay...."

Ruby inhaled sharply, and she glanced at the ground real quick before looking back into Glynda's eyes, "You- you can do that again, if you want..." 

Glynda cupped Ruby's cheek with her free hand. Ruby shuddered under her touch and leaned her face into the touch. She was warm.

Glynda tilted Ruby's chin upwards, and then they smooched. 

Ruby's mouth fluttered open upon contact. She tasted vaguely like lavender. 

Glynda held the smooch for two seconds before backing away- a respectable, quick indulgence of passion-

But Ruby followed, stepping forward and onto her tiptoes to maintain contact, resting her hands on the taller woman's chest. 

Glynda's hands slid down to Ruby's waist, rubbing small circles around Ruby's torso with her thumbs. Ruby moaned softly into Glynda's mouth as they made out for a few heart-pounding eternities. 

  
"So," Ruby panted, "We should, do _that_ again sometime, definitely." 

"You mean, you want to start dating?" Glynda bit her lip.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, unless you know of a reason not to?" 

Glynda bit her cheek. "My crippling social anxiety?" 

Ruby chuckled at that. "Maybe I can help with that." 

"I guess, if you," Glynda said, haltingly, "Want to, take the lead?"

Ruby smiled in affirmation. "Would you like to get an early dinner, right now?" 

Glynda's mind wandered to her stomach, which, while twisted into butterfly knots of giddy infatuation, was also empty. "Sure. I seem to have missed lunch."   
  


Glynda glanced at the nearby bushes where her friends were hiding. Emerald tried to look nonchalant and Cinder gave her double thumbs up. 


End file.
